Fun Jobs that Pay Less Than You Thought

As an experiment, I decided to research the income ranges for jobs that I thought would be extremely fun, just to see what I could come up with. There are plenty of jobs in this world that I would consider 'fun', but I was surprised to discover that many of them pay much less than I thought they might. Following are some of the fun jobs that I uncovered and how much they pay on average.

Game Announcer
I've always thought that it would be fun to be the guy who announces the color commentary for sports or provides the play-by-play analysis. I figured, since the athletes themselves make a pretty penny, that game announcers would be rolling in dough, but I was wrong. The average salary for this fun job, however, is just over $30,000 per year. Not exactly the stardom I was hoping for.

Impersonator
You always see the people who are dressed up like Paris Hilton or Elvis or Marilyn Monroe in an attempt to impersonate famous people, and I thought that it looked like a fun job. Your entire responsibility is to act like someone else for events and promotions, but as it turns out, this fun job absolutely must be a labor of love. The average salary for an impersonator is $23,000, which wouldn't cover the rent in some states.

Team Mascot
I don't think that I would want this job because those guys must get awfully warm in those big, heavy suits, but a team mascot seems like an enjoyable career. Again, I figured that the pay would be well above average since mascots get about as much exercise as the players themselves, but I was wrong. This fun job pays about $35,000 per year---what a shame.

Athletic Trainer
Can you tell that I would love to be involved in sports? A career as an athletic trainer always seemed like a fun job to me, especially since you can always get signed balls for your sons or nephews. So what do you get for supervising the athletes, treating injuries, helping to prevent injuries and generally playing nanny to the players? A measly $38,000 per year!

Baker
I love to eat, and although what I make isn't always edible, I figure I could learn. Early mornings aside, baking seems like it would be a fun job, but again, it doesn't pay nearly as much as I thought. I'm sure the upscale bakeries in Manhattan and Chicago have slightly higher salaries, but the average pay for this job is just under $37,000. It just isn't worth it to be in the "office" at half past three in the morning.

Travel Agent
Learning about distant lands and planning other people's vacations sounds like a fun job to me. Travel agents are responsible for booking flights, reserving hotel rooms and recommending cruises, but they aren't paid nearly what they're worth. The average salary for a travel agent is $27,000 per year, and slightly more if you excel at this fun job.